June 2017 Vol. 5 No.6

Search Pubmed for articles by:
 

Original Research Article

Parasitological assessment of efficacy of albendazole and ivermectin in the treatment of intestinal helminthiasis among pupils in Iba, Osun – State Nigeria

Callistus Adewale Akinleye², Oloyede Samuel Bolaji^1*, Temitope Kehinde Owolabi¹, Bosede Toluwani Agunbiade³, Olaoluwa Esther Bakare¹ and Oluwaseyi Adegboyega Adeyeba¹

¹Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, PMB 4400, Osogbo, Nigeria.
²Department of Community Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, PMB 4400, Osogbo, Nigeria.
³Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Afe Babalola University, Ado – Ekiti, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Author’s E-mail: osbolaji@lautech.edu.ng

Accepted June 18, 2017

Abstract

Soil transmitted helminths constitute major cause of morbidity and developmental challenges among children in Nigeria. 250 children were recruited between March and June 2015 and Questionnaire were administered. Stool samples were analysed with semi quantitative saline preparation and quantitative Katokatz methods. Weight and height were determined at pre intervention and post intervention stage. The body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The infected children were treated with single oral dose of 400mg/10kg albendazole and 3mg/15-25kg Ivermectin at pre intervention stage using World Health Organisation (WHO) guide. Stool were collected at three weeks of post intervention stage and analysed with Kato katzs technique. Drug efficacy was determined based on egg reduction rate. The overall prevalence was 33.6% (84/250). Ascaris lumbricoides single infection had 71(84.5%) while multiple infections of Ascaris lumbricoides with others are as follows; with Hookworm 7(8.3%), Strongyloides stercoralis 3(3.6%), Taenia species 1(1.2%), Trichuris trichiuria 2(2.4%). Prevalence of helminths in relation to sex showed that males 50(38.2%) were more infected than the females 34(28.6%). The difference was not statistically significant (p=0.120). BMI revealed that 40(16%) were seriously underweight with BMI below 16.5 while 60(24.0) were lightly underweight with BMI 17.0-18.9 according to WHO threshold. Efficacy of Albendazole and Ivermectin were determined in 73 infected children. 39(53.4%) and 34(46.6%) of the children that were lightly infected with geometric mean egg count of 4.4 egg/gram and 5.5egg/gram treated with albendazole and ivermectin respectively were parasitic free with 0.0 geometric mean egg count reduction rate. The cure rate at three week was 100%. Number of children with normal weight has increased from 35(47.9%) to 57 (68.5%) after drug administrations. The study revealed that albendazole and ivermectin improves nutritional status of helminths infected school children. However ivermectin known for the treatment of Onchocerciasis can be administered in the treatment of helminths infection in the absence of albendazole.

Keywords: Efficacy, Albendazole, Ivermectin, Helminths, Pupils